STLinATL

Professional writers use various techniques to make their writing evocative, clear, and powerful. Unless students are taught how to answer the question, “What makes this writing so good?” they are missing out on key learning that can ultimately improve their own approach to written expression. In this session, we will explore how to create a mini-unit (2-3 weeks) on writer’s craft where students will study specific “craft moves” by authors with the goal of emulating those moves in their own writing. Imagine it’s similar to the work of a baseball pitcher – watch the mechanics of throwing a curve ball, view experts doing so, then practice those mechanics and get feedback along the way. That’ll be the work of the session – by studying some of the greats such as Mem Fox, Gary Paulsen, Jane Yolen, and Cynthia Rylant – and the goal of this session will be to introduce you to the power of a mini-unit on writer’s craft so you can start to develop your own…using some pre-created resources and even finding inspiration from your own favorite stories and authors.